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If a tree on your property has poison ivy growing on it, it can pose a threat to you and your family members. The resin inside of the vine can cause an individual to break out in an itchy and painful rash. Learn how to safely remove the poisonous vine with the following steps.

Materials Needed

• disposable gloves
• face mask
• protective clothing and boots
• tree pruners
• hand rake
• tongs
• trash bag
• weed killer
• laundry detergent
• bleach
• bucket
• warm, soapy water
• scrub brush
• water hose

Identify The Plant And Clip Large Sections

Put on a pair of disposable gloves, a face mask, and clothing and footwear that will keep your legs, arms, and feet covered. Locate the poison ivy vine. The leaves on the vine will be pointy, green, shiny and they may have a red-tinted surface. Small berries or flowers may be located between each cluster of leaves. Use a pair of pruning shears to cut thick branches that are part of the vine. Make several cuts to loosen the branches.

Use a hand rake to pull the branches away from the tree. Pick up the branches with a pair of tongs and place them inside of a trash bag. Continue cutting and removing pieces of the vine until all of the poison ivy has been eliminated. Seal the trash bag and dispose of it.

Eliminate The Base And Roots

Spray a pesticide that is designed to kill poison ivy on any poisonous parts of the vine that you see coming out of the ground. Be careful that you spray the pesticide directly onto each part of the vine and not on any grass or other plants that are growing nearby. The chemicals that make up the pesticide could kill these items if it gets on them. The pesticide will take a couple days to kill the rest of the poisonous vine. 

Disinfect The Tools And Clothing

Disinfect the tools and clothing that came into contact with the poison ivy vine. Place the tools in a bucket of warm, soapy water. Add a small amount of bleach to the soapy water to kill any germs that are on the tools. After a few minutes, remove the tools and rinse them off with a water hose. Dispose of the gloves and face mask.

Place all of the clothing that you wore into a washing machine that is filled with warm, soapy water. Add a small amount of bleach to the load of laundry. Clean the boots with a small amount of mild detergent, a scrub brush, and a water hose. 

Remove The Remaining Parts 

Once the remaining parts of the vine have wilted, put on protective clothing, gloves, and a mask and remove the poisonous parts from the ground. Grasp each branch with both of your hands and pull it out of the ground. Dispose of the poisonous parts and launder your clothing in the same manner that you previously used. You and your family can safely spend time around the tree now that the poison ivy has been removed. Try going here to find out more information about tree services.